aws Production Transition: Up to €400,000 for GreenTech Startups

The aws Production Transition program supports the step from development to series production for startups in energy and environmental technologies with up to €400,000 as a non-repayable grant.

NewsletterMarch 25, 20264 min read

What to expect in this issue
Deep Dive - €400,000 Grant for GreenTech Companies
StartMatch News - New Blog with All Funding Information
FörderRadar - New and expiring grants

🤿 Deep Dive: Up to €400,000 – the aws Production Transition Program

You've developed an innovative energy or environmental technology and want to bring it into series production? That's exactly what the aws Production Transition for Energy and Environmental Technologies at Start-ups is for. A program that many founders don't have on their radar, even though it's one of the most attractive grants available for young companies in Austria.

What Is Being Funded?

The grant supports the step from development to series production. It sounds technical, but at its core it's simple: you have a working prototype or validated technology, and now it's about turning it into a scalable product.

Specifically, it covers technologies in these areas:

Energy efficiency and energy savings
Renewable energies
Smart grids
Storage technologies
Electromobility

The focus is clearly on climate and energy topics. If your startup is active in one of these fields, this program is exactly right for you.

How Much Is Available?

Up to €400,000 as a non-repayable grant. That's pure money – no loan, no equity stake. The funding rate is a maximum of 45% of eligible project costs.

Eligible costs include:

Personnel costs (your team working on the project)
External development and consulting costs (e.g. engineering firms, certifications)
Material costs (prototypes, test materials)
Tangible and intangible investments (machinery, software, patents)

An example: Your startup develops a new heat pump technology and you need €600,000 to set up series production. With a funding rate of 45%, you receive €270,000 as a grant – the rest comes from your own resources or other financing sources.

Who Can Apply?

The requirements are manageable:

Your company is no more than 6 years old (from founding date)
You have a registered office or establishment in Austria
The project is carried out in Austria
You are an SME (small or medium-sized enterprise)
The application must be submitted before the project starts – don't begin first and apply later
Your company must not be a "company in difficulty" in the EU legal sense

How Does the Submission Work?

Applications are submitted directly to Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws). Submissions are possible on a rolling basis until 31 December 2026, so there is no fixed deadline – you can submit at any time.

The maximum project duration is 24 months. During this time, aws supports the industrial implementation of your project.

Why Is This Relevant for You?

Many startups are stuck in the so-called "Valley of Death" – the phase between a working prototype and a market-ready product. This is exactly where many fail because the money runs out. The aws Production Transition addresses exactly this problem:

€400,000 grant is a significant sum that can make the difference
Non-repayable
Broad cost coverage
Rolling submissions

If you work in the field of energy or environmental technology and are currently planning the step from development to series production, you should take a close look at this grant.

All information is available here: aws Production Transition

Not sure whether your project is eligible? Simply write to us at robert@startmatch.ai – we're happy to give you our assessment free of charge.

🗞️ StartMatch News: New Blog

We now have a blog! At www.startmatch.ai/blog you can now find articles about grants, financing, and everything founders in Austria should know.

The blog is designed to help and inspire you. Whether you're looking for your first grant or already in the middle of an application: we explain complex topics simply and practically.

To start, you'll find there among other things: